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A’s Hold On Late, Defeat Twins For 11th Straight Time

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 08: Stephen Vogt #21 and Sam Fuld #23 of the Oakland Athletics celebrates after they both scored on a bases loaded triple from Coco Crisp #4 (not pictured) against the Minnesota Twins in the bottom of the fifth inning at O.co Coliseum on August 8, 2014 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) Stephen Vogt and Sam Fuld celebrate after they both scored on a bases-loaded triple from Coco Crisp in the bottom of the 5th inning at O.co Coliseum on August 8. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

OAKLAND (CBS / AP) — Scott Kazmir faced the minimum through six innings before running into trouble, Coco Crisp hit a bases-loaded triple, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5 on Friday night for their 11th straight win in the series.

Oakland owns its longest unbeaten run against the Twins, whose last victory came at Target Field on Sept. 10, 2013. The A’s are 5-0 this year.

Kazmir (13-4) tossed just eight balls among his first 42 pitches through four perfect innings before Kennys Vargas broke up the bid with a single off shortstop Jed Lowrie’s glove. Yet the A’s turned a spectacular double play on a grounder by Kurt Suzuki to third two batters later.

Kazmir was dominant deep into the game five days after being handed his first loss in six starts and allowing a season-high 10 hits in a Sunday loss to Kansas City.

He followed fellow southpaw Jon Lester’s three-hit gem in a 3-0 win Thursday with his own impressive outing — until the Twins made it interesting.

Trevor Plouffe hit an RBI single in the seventh as Minnesota ended a 19-inning scoreless streak and avoided being shut out in consecutive games for the first time this season. Oswaldo Arcia singled in a run and Chris Parmelee’s two-run double chased Kazmir. Ryan Cook entered and immediately gave up Eduardo Nunez’s RBI double.

Sean Doolittle retired former A’s slugger Josh Willingham on a called third strike to end it for his 18th save in 21 opportunities. The A’s bullpen set an Oakland record with 28 2-3 scoreless innings. The old mark of 27 2-3 was set in June 1998.

Kyle Gibson (10-9) allowed six runs — five earned — and five hits, struck out three and walked a season-high five in five-plus innings while facing the A’s for the first time. He dropped to 4-1 in six starts against the AL West this season.

Gibson loaded the bases on two walks and a single with no outs in the fifth when Crisp tripled to the wall in right-center. Eric Sogard nearly caught Sam Fuld on the play, crossing home plate a couple of steps later. Sogard doubled in two runs the next inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: Third base coach Joe Vavra is away from the team and will soon undergo surgery for a torn labrum in his left hip. He won’t return to the third-base coach’s box this season. “He can sit on the bench,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He’ll be back with us.” … After a workout day Thursday, first baseman Joe Mauer was set to play nine innings for Class-A Cedar Rapids as he works his way back from a strained right oblique muscle.

Athletics: Jed Lowrie returned to the lineup playing shortstop after being limited by a bruised right index finger. … First baseman Kyle Blanks, out since June 23 with a strained left calf, was scheduled to join Triple-A Sacramento to begin a rehab assignment Saturday.

ON DECK

Twins: Right-hander Trevor May will be promoted from Triple-A Rochester to make his major league debut.

Athletics: Right-hander Jeff Samardzija (2-1, 3.09) makes his seventh start with the A’s since a July 4 trade with the Cubs. He has allowed six homers in that time.